You have been saddled with the task of planning a business trip for your employees and you are feeling a bit overwhelmed. Not only do you have to make sure that your employees are comfortable and safe, but you also have to plan the logistics of the work that is to be done. Proper planning and analysis of everything you will need are essential elements to creating the perfect business trip.
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1. Make Sure Everyone Has the Necessary Identification
If your employees are traveling domestically, they will only need a driver’s license and their ticket to get on an airplane. If they are staying in a hotel, they will have to have a credit card at check-in time to pay for incidentals. A debit card may not be accepted.
If you have an employee traveling who does not have a credit card, you can call the hotel in advance of their arrival to arrange for the corporate credit card to be used. They will send you a credit card authorization form to sign.
If your employees are traveling internationally, you should make sure that they have the appropriate visas as well as their passports. You will also want to check and see if your employees will need any particular vaccinations to travel to the destination country or if malaria tablets are required.
2. Find Accommodation
You will want to find accommodation that is near such things as restaurants and shops. You will also want to look for a place that is within a reasonable distance of the office building or Convention Center where they will work.
If you have more than one employee making an overnight trip, you may want to consider using corporate housing. Putting your employees up in a condominium may make more economic sense than paying for an expensive hotel.
If you are looking to accommodate multiple employees, you can put several of them up in one apartment. They can prepare their own food in a large kitchen instead of paying for an expensive restaurant.
According to Stafford Housing, Corporate Apartments offer such features as fitness centers, swimming pools, and tennis courts, so your employees can stay in shape while they are away. They also will provide a concierge service, so your employees can find their way around town.
When your employees share an apartment, they will be able to brainstorm, even when they are not officially working. Staying with coworkers on a business trip lends itself to discussions about work and how to perform it more efficiently.
3. Find a Flight
It is a good idea to book your flights at least two weeks in advance and to put everyone on the same airline. You will find the least expensive flights are generally on Tuesday and Wednesday. You should arrange for all of your employees to receive their tickets digitally, to save them time during check-in.
Employees should be encouraged to bring a simple carry-on bag on their flight. If they check a bag through, it will be more costly and the airline may lose their luggage.
4. Create an Itinerary
You should know where your employees are when they are traveling on your behalf. It may help to write up an itinerary showing all of their flights, accommodations, and any conferences they may attend. You should get everybody’s updated contact information in case of an emergency.
Planning a trip should be fun whether it’s for you or someone else. If you take the right steps, your employees can have a fun and successful business trip.
Interesting related article: “What is a Business Trip?“